Lana‘i is missing! And Molokai too. One of the simple pleasures that I enjoy each day is the view of the neighboring islands Lana‘i and Moloka‘i. Well this morning, they were missing. No this is not some terrorist act but an act of Nature. You see, the Kona winds have descended upon us. Normally, Hawai‘i is blessed with the trade winds — which blow most days at 15 to 25 mph. The locals call it “natural air conditioning”. Occasionally, the winds die down to 5 mph or less coming from the south — from the direction of the Kona coast of the Big Island (Hawai‘i).

Yesterday, that change resulted in wonderful golfing conditions — sunny, very few clouds and no wind. Surfers hate it because there are no waves. Windsurfers hate it because there are no winds.

Today, the Kona winds continue and the haze from the volcano has arrived, obscuring the view of Lana‘i and Moloka‘i. If you peer into the haze, you could spot the clouds but not the islands. Fortunately, this time of year is a bit cooler so the lack of trades will not be unbearable as it might be during the summer months. Besides, the ocean is only 100 yards away and it provides a perfect place to cool off.

I visited the Farmer’s Market today. This is a wonderful place to buy fresh fruit and veggies as well as some special treats like the pineapple bread that (for the first time ever in all my trips to Maui) I sampled then immediately bought. Wow, is it good! My priority purchases are always the strawberry papaya and apple bananas.

To me, regular papayas are good but have a slight aftertaste that I don’t enjoy. Strawberry papayas are much smoother, sweet with no aftertaste. They were bred specifically for the Hawaiian climate at the University of Hawai‘i. They have a reddish flesh and are sometimes called Sunrise papayas (especially on Kaua‘i).

Apple bananas are similar in appearance to the Cavendish bananas that are the most common variety found on the mainland — except they tend to be a bit shorter and plumper. The difference is definitely more than skin deep. Apple bananas have a wonderful flavor that you can actually taste. One reason is that they are grown locally in Hawai‘i and are picked when ripe. The bananas sold on the mainland come from Central America and must be harvested green — then gassed after shipment to make them turn yellow. As a result, they have no flavor.

So my heavenly breakfast consists of strawberry papaya, orange juice (unfortunately, nothing special here), cereal & milk and apple banana. Mmmm, I wish I could share the real thing, instead of just the pictures.

Note that both strawberry papayas and apple bananas are difficult to impossible to find in the regular grocery stores. Therefore, for your reference for your next Maui trip, the Farmer’s Market is held at two locations on Maui. West Maui: MWF 7 AM to 11 AM on the Lower Honoapi‘ilani Road across from the Honokowa‘i Park (just a couple miles north of Ka‘anapali Resort). South Maui: MTWTF 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM on South Kihei Road at the north end of Kihei across from the Kihei Canoe Club.